Top 10 Reasons
You Should Eat Flaxseed
There’s a lot of buzz these days about flaxseed, and you’ll find it listed as an ingredient in foods like breakfast cereals and breads. Have you wondered why it’s good for you?Well, it certainly is nutritious, and here are 10 good reasons why you should include the nutty-tasting little seeds in your diet:
- Flaxseeds contain
phytochemicals
, which are powerful nutrients that help prevent serious diseases.
- Help to clear up the
inflammation
associated with gout and lupus. It is thought the
omega-3
fatty acids slow down the inflammatory reaction connected with these conditions.
- Ground flax can get constipation under control, along with hemorrhoids and diverticular disorders. They are high in fiber and this can make the passage of stool easier, thus relieving these conditions.
- The
antioxidant
lignan found in these seeds appears to help in the prevention of cancers such as breast, colon and possibly skin cancer.
- Lower the risk of heart attack by including flax in your diet. It seems to keep platelets from becoming sticky, thus reducing the risk.
- Other cardiovascular benefits include lowering total cholesterol and LDL (the bad one) cholesterol, along with keeping blood pressure lowered.
- Stabilize blood sugar levels because of its high fiber content. Flax may lower the severity of diabetes.
- It’s good for easing dry eyes. This is a common problem, perhaps due to poor omega-3 intake.
- Flaxseed may help balance female hormones, promote fertility, and reduce perimenopausal symptoms, due to its high levels of phytochemicals and antioxidants.
- Flax seed can serve as an egg substitute in baking. Mix one tablespoon of ground seeds with three tablespoons of water. This helps in binding the ingredients together. This is good for
vegans
and those who choose not to eat eggs.
How Do You Eat Flaxseeds?
Now that you are sold on the benefits, how do you eat flax seeds? If you eat them whole, they are likely to pass through the digestive system intact. So, to get the nutritional benefits, I recommend grinding them freshly or in small amounts and storing them in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator. You can use a grinder like a coffee grinder (not the same one you use for coffee, of course).You can sprinkle them on salads, cooked vegetables, or cereals. Another way of taking them is to put a tablespoon or two into 6-8 ounces of water or juice and mix. They have a pleasant, nutty flavor. Try to include this nutritional powerhouse in your diet and know that you’re doing something beneficial for yourself and your family! Return to the
Healthy Foods
page from this
Flaxseed
benefits page.
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